W124 Steering wheel groan /squeek

[tjamesbo]

My 1993 220te (185k) has developed a worsening groan /squeek that appears to be coming from the steering wheel inside the cabin sounds like something somewhere is drying up and needs lube / grease but what ???
and how easy is it to get to it ??

 

[wireman]

When one of my lower ball joints went duff the scraping/groaning could be heard clearly from the steering wheel when all doors and windows were closed.
Do check the ball joints, it will make a big mess if one lets go whilst you are moving.
Get an assistant and listen (and possibly hold bits around the back of the front wheels) whilst the steering is rocked side to side, if the creaking is from any of these bits get it seen to ASAP.

 

[Bolide]

If the noise is in the cabin then maybe the noise is coming from the sliprings & carbon brushes on the steering wheel. They can be noisy. It's an airbag and steering wheel-off job to take a look

But at 185k you are more than likely to need front balljoints and, as Wireman says, they can make a mess when they fail. Typically balljoints creak over speedhumps taken slowly and when turning the steering wheel when the car is stationary

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[w210inSpain]

As Bolide says, if it´s from the steering wheel, then it´s steering wheel off and lubricate the slip rings. Touching airbags isn´t recommended for the amateur, so depends how competant you are. Mercs are pretty safe though and no more likely to go off in your face than the mechanics. The airbag is held on from the back with torx bolts, but you need a long one, try a t-bar. Then it´s an allen key for the steering wheel. Grease the rings with a conductive grease or vaseline. The plug on the back off the airbag is a push fit, don´t twist it! And the steering wheel can be tight and need two people, one to hold the steering wheel and another to hold the knuckle bar.
It´s not a long job though, so shouldn´t cost more than 1/2 hr in a dealer.
Pete.

 

[tjamesbo]

Well I've just done the steering wheel off (disconnected the battery and the airbag multi connector in the passenger footwell ) it looked hopeful as there was a lot of black dust in there so i removed all bits back to the indicator stalk and lubed up the concentric copper ring that the various electrical contacts slide around on All back together--------No difference to squeek / groan.

last weekend i jacked up the front and listened to the various joints as my lad spun the wheel, no sounds from near the wheels /or various joints noise seemed loudest from the bottom of the steering box????.

I will get balljoints checked by garage one was done 30-40k ago but it was only one side.

Thanks for the help and suggestions folks.